The brand’s second high-performance EV can hit 160 mph yet aims to be as at home on urban streets as the track. Whether you engage its sci-fi soundscape or artificial combustion cacophony is up to you.

Here's what we looked at this week:When marketing trumps product design: A digital camera with fake analog controls becomes a crowdfunding smash. This ATMO drone from Caltech smoothly transitions from flight to four-wheeling. In Germany, in-curb EV chargers have been rolled out in a pilot program. They're 99% reliable.This unique recessed handrail feature, designed by Adjaye Associates.Industrial design firm No Picnic makes even telecommunications gear look good.The Archibald, by industrial designer Leo Salzedo, is a convoluted towel radiator made from a single steel tube.Whirlpool's retrofittable, rotating lower-level dishwasher rack improves accessibility.Industrial designer Nik Bentel's Loopy Chair, inspired by bike racks.Sky View's smart design feature makes transparent stargazing tents practical.Architect turned product designer develops the Kara Pod, a countertop air-to-water device that also makes coffee.Engineer Patrick Schlott fixes old payphones, re-installs them in public places and provides free calls.Japanese specialty woodworking tools: A Knot Remover kit.Far cheaper, pellet-based industrial 3D printing from Pollen AM.Square's new handheld reader, created in collaboration with industrial design firm Huge Design.Peter Donder's mysterious and beautiful robotic chicken feet.The Macaron, Mavimatt's quirky furniture piece with a hidden table surface.This heavy-duty steel media cart is by Modern Industrial Furniture, founded by a tech worker turned furniture designer.Hyundai's incredible WIA autonomous robot parking valets.Industrial design case study: Y Studios designs a laptop privacy shield.

Let’s get this out of the way: We constantly live in uncertain times. Periods of tranquility are actually an aberration, if not an illusion. The relationship between marketing budgets and economic volatility has always been complex. What we’re witnessing isn’t just the usual ebb and flow of consumer confidence or standard market corrections. It’s an unprecedented convergence of tariff confusion, inflationary pressures, supply chain disruptions, and debt refinancing challenges. As I talk to CMOs and marketing leaders across industries, one word keeps surfacing: paralysis. Decision makers find themselves frozen, unsure whether to commit to long-term advertising contracts, unable to accurately forecast costs, and struggling to craft messaging that resonates in a consumer landscape where spending power is increasingly unpredictable. The historical perspective: Who thrives in downturns? When I look back at previous economic contractions—particularly 2008 and 2020—a clear pattern emerges that separates survivors from thrivers. In 2008, as financial markets collapsed, brands like Amazon, Netflix, and Hyundai didn’t retreat. They advanced. Netflix invested heavily in its streaming service during the financial crisis, laying the groundwork for its eventual dominance. Hyundai introduced its ground-breaking “Assurance Program,” allowing customers to return newly purchased vehicles if they lost their jobs—a true masterstroke that increased Hyundai’s market share while competitors were seeing double-digit sales declines. The 2020 pandemic presented similar divergent paths. While many brands slashed marketing budgets in panic, companies like Zoom and DoorDash significantly increased their marketing investments, recognizing the unique moment to capture market share when consumers were rapidly forming new habits. The common thread? These companies didn’t view marketing as a discretionary expense to be cut during uncertainty. They saw it as a strategic lever, one that should be pulled harder during hard times. 4 strategic approaches for the uncertainty-conscious marketer Here’s what the most forward-thinking marketers are doing now to navigate the choppy waters ahead: They’re embracing flexibility in all media contracts. The days of rigid, long-term commitments are giving way to more agile arrangements that allow for budget reallocation as economic conditions shift. This means negotiating pause clauses, shorter commitment windows, and performance-based terms that protect all contracted parties. Budgets are shifting toward measurable, adaptable channels. While social media and traditional media face the deepest anticipated cuts (41% and 43% respectively), digital advertising continues to gain market share despite economic concerns. Digital is projected to encompass up to 79% of total ad spend by 2030, up from its current 67%. Message content is being entirely rethought. In the face of economic anxiety, brands need messaging that acknowledges reality while providing genuine value. We’re seeing this play out in automotive advertising, where some manufacturers are emphasizing their American manufacturing credentials. Ford’s “From America, For America” campaign represents a strategic positioning that resonates in an era of tariff concerns. As Hyundai, in 2008, these advertisers are using the moment to emphasize their particular brand’s appeal. AI is being leveraged not just for cost cutting but for scenario planning. The most sophisticated marketing teams are using AI to model multiple economic outcomes and prepare messaging, budget allocations, and channel strategies for each scenario. The creative reset: How agencies have already adapted It’s worth noting that the industry isn’t starting from scratch in facing these challenges. Client behavior on creative development has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past several years. The best independent agencies have already restructured their operations in response. Gone are the days of lengthy creative development cycles and rigid campaign frameworks. Anticipating these changes years ago, independent shops have largely embraced agile methodologies that align perfectly with today’s economic realities. In many ways, the independent agency sector has already prepared for exactly this kind of destabilizing environment. They’ve built their businesses around speed and adaptability rather than scale and standardization. As such, they’re uniquely positioned to help steer brands through bumps ahead without sacrificing creative impact or market presence. Brand versus performance in uncertain times Perhaps the most critical strategic question facing marketers is how to balance brand building against performance marketing when budgets contract. Historical data consistently shows that brands maintaining or increasing their share of voice during downturns emerge in stronger positions when markets recover. Yet short-term revenue pressures make performance marketing irresistibly tempting when every dollar must be justified. The smart play here isn’t choosing one over the other but reimagining how all of these factors work together. Performance marketing can be designed to build brand equity simultaneously. Brand marketing can incorporate more direct response elements. The artificial wall between these disciplines must come down to survive economic headwinds. Opportunity within adversity The brands that will emerge strongest from this period of uncertainty won’t be those with the largest budgets, but those with the clearest strategic vision, the most agile execution, and the courage to maintain presence when competitors retreat. Economic uncertainty doesn’t change the fundamental truth that share of voice leads to share of market. It simply raises the stakes and rewards those who can maintain their voice when others fall silent. Looking at the latter half of 2025, the marketing leaders who view this period not as a time to hide but as a rare opportunity to stand out will be the ones writing the success stories we’ll be studying for years to come. Tim Ringel is global CEO of Meet The People.

The $7.6 billion Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, or HMGMA, is one of the newest and most technologically advanced car factories in the world.The plant, located near Savannah, Georgia, opened its doors in March and will be a key production facility for Hyundai's EVs and PHEVs, as well as those belonging to its Genesis luxury brand and sister company Kia.In a recent interview with Business Insider, Genesis North America COO Tedros Mengiste cited the investment as an example of Hyundai's track record for "visionary and strategic, and long-term thinking."I recently took a behind-the-scenes tour of Hyundai's new megafactory packed with autonomous robots and state-of-the-art tech. The Hyundai Metaplant is situated on a 3,000-acre campus in the south Georgia town of Ellabell. Hyundai's Metaplant America. Hyundai Located just 20 miles from the Port of Savannah, one of the busiest in the US, the plant not only gives Hyundai much-needed manufacturing capacity in the US to avoid import tariffs, but it also affords the company the flexibility to export vehicles abroad.It also gives Hyundai the production footprint to compete against rivals like Tesla, GM, and Rivian, which is also building a new factory in Georgia. Driving up to the factory, it's easy to be wowed by the sheer scale of the sprawling complex. The entryway to the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America campus in Ellabell, Georgia. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider It's Hyundai Group's second car factory in the state. The company also operates a $3.2 billion, 2,200-acre facility in West Point, Georgia, that builds Kia EV and ICE SUVs. I drove to the factory in a new 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 EV SUV, which is one of the vehicles assembled at the Metaplant. Hyundai Ioniq 9 EVs are parked in front of the lobby at the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in Georgia. Hyundai The only other model assembled at the plant is the Hyundai Ioniq 5 EV. My tour began in the plant's modern main lobby. The Metaplant lobby is modern and pleasant. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider Hyundai broke ground on the facility in the fall of 2022 and took just two years to complete construction on the main production buildings. The Metaplant site consists of 11 buildings totalling 7.5 million square feet of space. A map of the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in Georgia. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider The Metaplant is a marvel of vertical integration, with the goal of having as many key components, ranging from battery packs to seats, made on-site. Here's a Hyundai XCIENT hydrogen fuel cell semi truck used to transport parts and supplies to the factory. A Hyundai XCIENT hydrogen fuel cell truck. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider It's one of 21 emission-free XCIENT trucks deployed around the Metaplant site. The production process starts in the stamping shop, where sheet metal is cut and stamped into parts that will make up the frame of the car. The stamping facility. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider The sheet metal is supplied by the on-site Hyundai Steel facility. Stamped parts are transported by automated guided vehicles, or AGVs. Autonomous robots are transporting stamped metal parts. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider The plant employs almost 300 AGVs to shuttle everything from spare parts to partially assembled cars. The stamped metal panels are then stored in these massive racks. Racks full of stamped metal sections of Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 9 EVs. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider The Metaplant was originally expected to produce up to 300,000 electrified vehicles annually. However, Hyundai announced at the plant's grand opening in March that its capacity will be expanded to 500,000 units in the coming years as part of a new $21 billion investment in US manufacturing. Here are parts of the Ioniq 9, Hyundai's new flagship three-row EV SUV. Parts of the Hyundai Ioniq 9 EV at the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in Georgia. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider The plant is expected to start production of its first Kia model next year. The next part of the tour is the welding shop. Ioniq 5 EVs at the welding facility at the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in Georgia. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider Here, the stamped metal pieces are welded together by robot to form the body of the vehicle. The work done by the welding robots is then inspected by the plant's human employees known as Meta Pros. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 9 EVs are going through quality inspections in the welding shop. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider The Metplant employees more than 1,300 Meta Pros, nearly 90% of whom were hired locally. There are employee meeting and break areas located along the inspection and assembly areas. Employee break and meeting area at the welding shop. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider An employee cafeteria with remote ordering capability is located in the main assembly building. In addition to human eyes, the vehicles are also inspected by a pair of Boston Dynamics robot dogs called Spot. Boston Dynamics robot dogs inspecting Hyundai Ioniq 5 EVs. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider In 2021, Hyundai acquired an 80% stake in Boston Dynamics in a deal that valued the company at $1.1 billion. After the inspections are complete, a robot loads the partially assembled vehicles onto a conveyor system. Ioniq 5 EVs are about to be lifted onto the conveyor belt to the paint shop. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider Next stop, the paint shop. Unfortunately, my tour did not get access to the paint shop due to concerns that outside visitors may compromise the quality of the paint application. Hyundai EV bodies are moving from the paint shop to the assembly facility at the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in Georgia. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider After receiving a fresh coat of paint, the vehicles travel through a bridge to the assembly building. Here, the painted bodies are married with their battery packs and skateboard chassis. An Ioniq 5 on the assembly line. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider Hyundai Mobis produces the skateboard chassis in a building next door to the general assembly facility. The Metaplant's on-site battery factory, operated in a joint venture with LG, is expected to come online next year. The plant currently sources its batteries from Hyundai's other facilities, including one in North Georgia that's a joint venture with SK. The vehicles' interiors are then assembled by hand. The Metaplant assembly line, where human workers are joining in. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider The further along the production process, the more you see human workers on the assembly line. Partially assembled EVs are shuttled through from area to area by the automated robots. Ioniq 5 EVs at the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in Georgia. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider The entire facility was immaculately clean, quiet, and felt beautifully choreographed. Assembled vehicles are loaded onto different AGVs that navigate the facility by reading the QR codes embedded into the floor. Hyundai Ioniq 5 EVs after soak testing at the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in Georgia. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider These AGVs shuttle the vehicles through the plant's various quality control tests. At the end of the assembly line, completed EVs are put through their paces at the on-site test track before being sent to the vehicle preparation center, or VPC, to get them ready for shipping. Completed Hyundai EVs are ready for a dealer's lot. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider Vehicles destined for dealerships in the region are put on trucks, while those traveling more than 500 miles are shipped by rail at the Metplant's on-site train terminal.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd" On today’s episode of You Asked… What’s the best 98-inch TV for sports? What can we expect from Apple CarPlay Ultra… and… How long should you expect a TV to last? Best 98-inch TV for sports & streaming Samsung 98-inch QN90D Zeke Jones / Digital Trends Logan asks: We’re currently building a new home and I’m looking to upgrade my current television to a 98-inch or larger. We will mainly use our television for watching sports on YouTube tv or ESPN app and occasionally other streaming services for movies or series. So the questions are: With sports being the main priority, which tvs would you recommend for watching sports? And of these tvs, would you recommend utilizing an apple tv or another external source to better upscale the standard resolution. Thanks for the question Logan. I think when addressing your first question, which TV would we recommend, coupled with the need for 98, the first thing we need to address is budget… because when we’re talking TVs that large, the price range from one brand and model to the next can be several thousand dollars. If you’re willing to spare no expense, the Samsung QN90D – the 2024 model – goes $10,000. And the updated and recently released QN90F goes for $15,000. I feel ridiculous even listing those, but hey, spend it if you got it, I guess. Sony Bravia 5 Digital Trends Coming down a little bit from that, you’ve got Sony’s 98-inch Bravia 5, a new Mini LED model offered in 2025. It retails for $6,500, so less than Samsung’s QN90D but still a bit steep given what other brands offer for considerably less. Based off what I have seen and what I feel like is a much better price to performance ratio, and given some of the drawbacks mentioned in our review of the 98-inch Samsung QN90D last year, I think you’re much better off checking out the Mini LED options from Hisense and TCL. At time of writing, TCL’s 98-inch QM7K quantum dot Mini LED TV is at 44% off, bringing it down to $2,800. That, my friends, is a steal for a TV at this size with its capabilities. It’s got the features you look for in a premium TV from top to bottom, supporting all the video and audio formats you could ask for like Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and DTS. And notably for sports, it has excellent SDR brightness and does a great job upscaling low bitrate content, like sports. TCL QM7K Andre Revilla / Digital Trends If you want to save a little more money, the TCL QM6K goes for a little bit less, but you will lose out a bit on performance and brightness. But having seen the 65-inch QM6K earlier this year, it is excellent, and seems to have improved off-angle viewing from previous years. I’m not sure if that carries over into all of TCL’s Mini LED offerings this year, but I think both of those 98-inch models would serve you very well. I’d also point you toward the 100-inch Hisense U7QG which, spec-wise, is pretty much stride for stride with the QM7K, just a little bit more expensive at $3,000, though you also get two more inches. Bottom line, I think TCL and Hisense make perfect TVs for sports, given how much they’ve been able to pump up the brightness over the years. And as you mentioned, when it’s time for movies and shows, you’ll be even more impressed with them being able to stream in Dolby Vision or a number of other HDR formats. And that’s where we’ll answer the next part of your question: Do we recommend utilizing an Apple TV or another external source to better upscale the standard resolution? Apple TV 4K has a bare minimum of cables and ports — just as you’d expect from Apple. Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends No, at least not for the purposes of better upscaling standard resolution. Your TV’s upscaling is always going to do the best job because its processor is built to do the best clean-up job specifically for that TV. I don’t think adding an external device is going to hurt the picture quality, but I also don’t think you’re going to see any benefit over just using the apps within the TV operating system. And side note before the next question I’ve seen the comments about how we frequently recommend Hisense and TCL. I’m just trying to think at least a little bit practically about a purchase of this magnitude. For a 65-inch TV, sure, the best of the best running you three to four thousand dollars is a little easier to stomach. It’s not nothing but it’s also a lot different than $6,000 or $8,000 or $10,000 or more, where some of these 98-inch TVs can go. And objectively, if you look at how they perform, it’s hard to say if it’s triple or quadruple the price for a particular brand. By all means do your own research as well. Check the forums. See what others who own the TV have to say about their experience. But if you can save several thousand dollars, I don’t know take the kids to Disney World, take your significant other to Europe, buy some sick speakers to go with your TV. Just my two cents. Also, right now, Memorial Day deals weekend, there are some huge TV sales going down… I’m talking Panasonic, Sony, Hisense, TCL, Samsung, LG… all of them. Best TV for dark rooms? LG B5 OLED Digital Trends Doug asks: My question is which TV is best for dark rooms , I currently have the U8 Hisense 55-inch but it’s giving me bad eye strains with brightness at 0 and all features turned off or on low. Doug, the first thing I would suggest is, if you haven’t done so, dive just a little deeper into the settings. Check to see if you’re in a Standard or Vivid mode that tends to be a little more on the blue or cool side of color temperature. If you are, try changing to one of the theater modes or filmmaker mode. These tend to be a little warmer. There should be a Theater Night mode available on your U8 that makes dark room viewing a little more comfortable. If that’s still too much for you, I’d suggest a budget friendly OLED, something like the LG B4 or B5. Maybe Samsung’s S85D or S85F, depending on what’s available and your budget. You’ll have gorgeous picture quality, and those models don’t tend to be as bright as their more expensive, flagship siblings. How long should a TV last? The LG G5 and C5 OLED TVs in LG’s CES 2025 suite. John Higgins / Digital Trends @THOMMGB asks: My question is: how long will a TV last? If I’m going to go to all this trouble and expense, I want a TV that’s going to last for years. This is always a relevant question, especially in this economy, so thanks for sending it in. A lot of estimates from my research says five to 10 years… but there are other factors at play here. First, what’s it worth to you? If you drop several grand on a flagship OLED or Mini-LED TV, yeah, you’re gonna want it to last at least five years, and hopefully beyond that. But like I said in a previous episode, these are electronics with lots of components and points of potential failure. So if it really bothers you that there’s a risk, there are plenty of less expensive models that are still loaded with features and produce incredible images. Digital Trends The other factor is how hard you drive the TV. In general, if you want it to last, using screensavers or making sure it’s turned off when not in use is a good idea, especially if it’s an OLED where there’s a risk of burn-in. And that leads me to the next point, which is the all-important warranty. With LG in particular, they have a two-part, five year warranty for their G, M and Z level OLED TVs. And that leads me to my final point. That LG warranty covers their most expensive TVs, probably because they’re pretty confident in how well they’re built. What am I saying here? You get what you pay for. Samsung If you want a TV that lasts, I’d shoot for the upper tier models. It doesn’t have to be the most expensive, but not all TVs are built equally. I had to talk my parents off of this ledge recently, when they said they didn’t want to buy any more Samsung TVs because one failed them. But that TV was certainly not one of their better performing models. Sure enough, they’re now in love with the S90D that I recommended. So to sum it all up, there’s not much of a guarantee you’ll get with any TV. If you search in forums long enough, you’ll probably find a cautionary tale against every brand you can think of. But, with research, care and maybe a little good luck, your TV should last you for years, at least long enough to get to the point where you’re ready to upgrade again. Apple CarPlay Ultra Q&A Apple @danh9922 asked: So it’s not called CarPlay 2? No, Dan. Technically, it’s never been called CarPlay 2. That’s just what the media was calling the next generation of CarPlay while all the rumors and leaks were swirling around. Apple never officially referred to it that way. It’s only ever been called CarPlay Ultra, which is what we now have. Right now, it’s only available on the super-expensive new Aston Martins, so there’s a pretty high bar in terms of cost if you want to get into a vehicle with CarPlay Ultra today. However, the good news is Apple has confirmed a number of automakers around the world are working on bringing CarPlay Ultra to future vehicles, including Hyundai, Genesis, and Kia. So, hopefully, more affordable options are on the horizon. @King_Jab asked: What makes it Ultra? As someone who doesn’t have basic CarPlay, please explain the difference. Great question. Traditional CarPlay acts as a mirror between your iPhone and the central display in your car. It shows key apps like Music, Messages, and Maps, allowing you to interact with them while driving, which is super useful. But it has little to no control over other parts of your vehicle. CarPlay Ultra goes much further. It’s far more deeply integrated with your car’s operating system. You can control various vehicle features, like radio, climate settings, and even drive modes, all from within the CarPlay Ultra interface. You no longer need to exit CarPlay to access those functions. Apple Apple Apple Apple Apple Apple Apple Apple It even extends to the digital cluster behind the steering wheel, offering customizable views that combine car data with key info from your iPhone. Everything you want, exactly where you want it. It’s a pretty special experience, and we’re really looking forward to trying it out. But not everyone’s sold on it. @bobdylanlovr69 says: Bad foresight by Apple, as many manufacturers are thankfully moving away from digital clusters for A/C and other utilities in favor of buttons and dials again. And you’re not wrong. Having to use a touchscreen to change the climate can be fiddly and annoying. But the scope for CarPlay Ultra is so much greater. As the platform develops, we expect even deeper integration and more functionality, not less. So instead of going backward, I think we’ll see it evolve further. Now, a couple of you asked about cost. Is Apple really giving something away for free? Apple Yes, the good news is CarPlay Ultra doesn’t have a separate cost. There’s no subscription or extra charge. The only things you’ll need are an iPhone (12 or later) and a compatible vehicle. Once you have those, CarPlay Ultra is ready to use at no additional cost. Some of you are also wondering about Google and whether it has an Android equivalent in the works. Well, it sort of already does and in some ways, it may even surpass CarPlay Ultra. There’s Android Auto, which works similarly to CarPlay, mirroring key apps from your phone to the car’s display. But then there’s Android Automotive, which is a full in-car operating system. It doesn’t even need a smartphone to function. It’s baked into the vehicle itself and includes Google services like Maps and Assistant. It’s already in use in Polestar vehicles, for example. So in that sense, Google may actually be ahead of Apple, at least in some cars. And finally… Mitchell asks: “When can I get CarPlay Ultra in my 2013 Toyota Camry?” Unfortunately, Mitchell, I don’t think CarPlay Ultra is ever going to make its way into your 2013 Camry. Tough break there.

The biggest tech events in May and June may be software focused, but there's plenty of hardware going through the wringer here at Engadget. Over the last two weeks alone, we've put a drone, gaming display, headphones and a gaming tablet through their paces. If you missed any of that, or our latest game analysis and EV test drive, keeping scrolling to catch up on our latest reviews.  DJI Mavic 4 Pro Reporter Steve Dent reviews a lot of drones at Engadget. So when he uses descriptors like "a new standard," "the most technologically advanced drone I've seen" and "the best video quality," everyone needs to take note. After his tests, Steve argued that the Mavic 4 Pro is further proof of how DJI continues to outpace its rivals. "It’s an improvement over the Mavic 3 Pro in nearly every area, and as mentioned, it doesn’t really have any competition in the consumer space," he said. "The closest alternative in price and capability is Autel’s Evo II Pro 6K, but that drone has a single-camera system with a smaller sensor, less endurance and shorter range." Sony WH-1000XM6 Sony's latest flagship headphones were hardly a secret by the time they officially arrived last week, but thankfully, the three-year wait for the upgrade was well worth it. The company managed to improve its already great over-ear headphones yet again, with updates to sound quality, noise cancellation and overall comfort. "The only real downside is the price continues to go up: the M6 is $50 more than the M5 was at launch," I wrote. "When you combine their performance with Sony’s ever-growing list of features, the 1000XM6 are the best headphones you can buy right now." ASUS ROG Flow Z13 (2025) If you're looking for a gaming tablet to replace your laptop, there are some perks to the ROG Flow Z13. However, there are also some drawbacks, mainly the flimsy keyboard that makes typing on anything other than a table or desk quite cumbersome. "It's got a funky build and unapologetically aggressive styling," senior reviews reporter Sam Rutherford explained. "But unless you have a very particular set of requirements, it doesn't fit neatly into most people's lives as an equivalent laptop." LG 27 UltraGear OLED It may have taken writing a review to get senior reviews reporter Devindra Hardwar to understand the hype around 480Hz gaming displays, but I'd argue the sacrifice was well worth it. The LG 27 UltraGear is a powerhouse, right down to the future-proof DisplayPort 2.1 connection. It's expensive though, and besides the OLED panel, it's not much of a looker. But that performance, it'll make you forget where you are. "The real world melted away — I was fully inside Rocket League's absurd soccer arena," he described. "When the match ended, it took me a few minutes to reacclimatize to reality." Driving the Hyundai Ioniq 9 and FBC: Firebreak  Contributor Tim Stevens spent some time behind the wheel of Hyundai's three-row Ioniq 9 EV SUV. Pricing for the more premium trims ventures into Rivian territory, but Tim argues the Ioniq 9 is the more practical choice for the rigors of daily life over the R1S. "The Ioniq 9 has a stance more like a Volvo station wagon than a gigantic family hauler, but make no mistake, it's the latter," he said. "That's immediately evident as soon as you climb into the third row." Senior gaming editor Jessica Conditt took Remedy's co-op shooter FBC: Firebreak for a spin. While the game enticed her to keep playing after almost three hours with two strangers, it could still use some polish before next month's launch. "All of the issues I have with Firebreak can be fine-tuned before the game launches this summer, and I have faith in Remedy to do so," she observed. "Firebreak is poised to be a thoughtful and focused entry in the co-op shooter genre, and it’s already an inviting extension of Remedy’s darkest and silliest sensibilities.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-review-recap-dji-mavic-4-pro-sony-wh-1000xm6-asus-rog-flow-z13-and-more-130033686.html?src=rss

Five, six... nine? 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 9 first drive: Efficient, for a big one Hyundai's biggest EV is designed for American roads and built in Georgia. Jonathan M. Gitlin – May 20, 2025 9:00 am | 15 Spot the elliptical shapes on the new Hyundai Ioniq 9. Credit: Jonathan Gitlin Spot the elliptical shapes on the new Hyundai Ioniq 9. Credit: Jonathan Gitlin Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more Hyundai provided flights from Washington to Savannah and accommodation so Ars could drive the Ioniq 9. Ars does not accept paid editorial content. SAVANNAH, Georgia—Hyundai's massive new Metaplant factory in Georgia is actually painted a subtle shade of green, not white, but you'd need someone to point that out to you. It's a shining example of the latest in car manufacturing—bright lights and white walls inside, knee-saving wooden floors on the production line, recaptured waste energy and solar—you name it. Hyundai even uses dog-like robots to check some welds. The vast facility is responsible for North American production of the electric Ioniq 5 and, now, the all-new Ioniq 9 SUV as well. That Hyundai would make a three-row SUV with its class-leading electric powertrain was a no-brainer. The E-GMP platform, with its class-leading 800 V powertrain, was designed for medium to large EVs, after all. In 2021 it debuted the Seven concept, which explored the idea of a living room on wheels. I'm not sure why the nameplate skipped a couple of digits, but the production Ioniq 9 tries to keep as true to that theme as possible within the confines of real life. Although they look quite different from one another, a common design language called "parametric pixels" ties together the Ioniq 9 with its smaller siblings the Ioniq 5 SUV and Ioniq 6 sedan. Creases catch the light even with the matte-gold paint of our test car, like the line ahead of the rear wheels that calls back to the collar on a traditional Korean garment. As ever, there are some other wonderful names for the design language: my favorite is "aerosthetic lounge," but when you look at the images, also think of words like "teutonic," "boat tail," and "integrated." When you hear the shape was inspired by a pebble, it makes sense that the drag coefficient is a slippery 0.27. Inspired by a pebble, don't you know? Jonathan Gitlin Inspired by a pebble, don't you know? Jonathan Gitlin I think this is my favorite angle. Jonathan Gitlin I think this is my favorite angle. Jonathan Gitlin Inspired by a pebble, don't you know? Jonathan Gitlin I think this is my favorite angle. Jonathan Gitlin At 199.2 inches (5,060 mm) the Ioniq 9 is couple of inches longer than the gas-powered Hyundai Palisade, but the EV's more space-efficient powertrain means the Ioniq 9 offers 9 inches (230 mm) more wheelbase, which translates into more room on the inside. The primary beneficiaries of that are whoever sits in the middle row, especially if the Ioniq 9 is in the six-seat configuration, which swaps the middle bench for a pair of captains' chairs. These even get ventilation, like the front seats. Space all the way in the back is average for the breed. There's more headroom than a Rivian R1S, but less legroom, and like most three-row SUVs, that third row is really for small children or occasional use. There's no acoustic glass back there, so its a much noisier place to sit, and the space is better utilized as cargo volume. If you need to put two adults in a third row and it must be electric, the Volkswagen ID. Buzz is your best bet, or at least it was until someone noticed the rear bench was too wide for just two seatbelts, sparkling a recall. But I digress. Seven adults could get up to a lot of work in one of these things. That's how many 100 W USB-C ports Hyundai has included, three up front then two for each of the other rows, although by my maths it would be hard to sap more than a couple of miles of range by simultaneously recharging 16-inch MacBook Pros on a road trip. For gadgets needing alternating current, the Ioniq 9 can provide 120 V V2L and is also capable of powering a home (V2H) or even returning energy to the grid (V2G), although those two will require a Hyundai bidirectional charger. The Cylon/Knight Rider effect is mainly an artifact of the digital camera and the LED lights. Jonathan Gitlin The Cylon/Knight Rider effect is mainly an artifact of the digital camera and the LED lights. Jonathan Gitlin I wonder if Hyundai will make an Ioniq 9 N? Jonathan Gitlin I wonder if Hyundai will make an Ioniq 9 N? Jonathan Gitlin This is very Range Rover. Jonathan Gitlin This is very Range Rover. Jonathan Gitlin I wonder if Hyundai will make an Ioniq 9 N? Jonathan Gitlin This is very Range Rover. Jonathan Gitlin With the electrons flowing from grid to car via a level 2 AC charger, expect to take about 9 hours and 40 minutes to charge from 10–100 percent at 11 kW. For best results DC fast charging, seek out a 350 kW fast charger. You'll need the included CCS1 adapter, but you'll charge from 10–80 percent in 24 minutes. The adapter is required because the Ioniq 9 is one of the few non-Tesla EVs to leave the factory with the NACS charging port. Using a Tesla Supercharger to charge an Ioniq 9 doesn't just put more money in Elon Musk's coffers, though, it also takes a while—41 minutes in total. Only the $58,995 Ioniq 9 S is available with a rear-wheel drive powertrain. In this case, one with 215 hp (160 kW) and 258 lb-ft (350 Nm) and a range of 325 miles (539 km) from the 110.3 kWh (gross) battery pack. All other trims feature twin motor all-wheel drive, but you give up little in the way of range. The $62,765 SE and $68,320 SEL offer a combined 303 hp (226 kW) and 446 lb-ft (605 Nm) and 320 miles (515 km) of range, and the $71,250 Performance Limited, $74,990 Performance Calligraphy, and $76,490 Performance Calligraphy Design use a more powerful front motor to generate a total of 442 hp (315 kW) and 516 lb-ft (700 Nm), and a range of 311 miles (500 km). The Ioniq 9's interior loses some of the charm of the concept. Hyundai The Ioniq 9's interior loses some of the charm of the concept. Hyundai Yes, that is a NACS port. Jonathan Gitlin Yes, that is a NACS port. Jonathan Gitlin We were only able to test the Ioniq 9 in six-seat configuration. Hyundai We were only able to test the Ioniq 9 in six-seat configuration. Hyundai Yes, that is a NACS port. Jonathan Gitlin We were only able to test the Ioniq 9 in six-seat configuration. Hyundai This curved panel is common across a lot of Hyundai and Genesis cars now. Hyundai The center console has wireless charging, among other features. Hyundai Lots of storage, and the lid on top opens both ways. Hyundai Leg rests! Hyundai There's 21.9 cubic feet of cargo with the third row in use, or 46.7 cubic feet with it folded flat, and 86.9 cubic feet with both rows flat. Jonathan Gitlin While a short first drive is not the best place to evaluate an EV's range efficiency, driven day to day in Eco mode, I wouldn't be surprised if you were able to easily exceed 3 miles/kWh (20.7 kWh/100 km). Other drive modes include Normal, which uses the front motor much more often and therefore is markedly quicker than Eco; Sport, which has quite a lot of initial throttle tip-in and will head-toss your passengers if you have any; Terrain, first seen on the Ioniq 5 XRT; and Snow. The ride is quite firm on surface streets but less so at highway speeds over seams and expansion gaps. As you start to corner faster you can expect to encounter understeer, but since this is a three-row SUV weighing between 5,507-6,008 lbs (2,498-2,725 kg), one has to wonder what else was expected. At sensible speeds, it's easy to see out of and place it on the road, and if you're stuck in a tailback with a couple of grumpy children in the back, it's a calming enough environment to keep you from being over-stressed. Hyundai has wisely priced the Ioniq 9 between the related Kia EV9 (which also uses the E-GMP platform) and EVs from premium OEMs like the Volvo EX90, Mercedes EQS SUV, or the aforementioned Rivian. Jonathan M. Gitlin Automotive Editor Jonathan M. Gitlin Automotive Editor Jonathan is the Automotive Editor at Ars Technica. He has a BSc and PhD in Pharmacology. In 2014 he decided to indulge his lifelong passion for the car by leaving the National Human Genome Research Institute and launching Ars Technica's automotive coverage. He lives in Washington, DC. 15 Comments

Hyundai has used the clean-sheet nature of electric powertrains to make new vehicles radically different from its internal-combustion models, but what happens when the best thing a new car can be is ordinary?  The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 is a three-row SUV that, to succeed, needs to prioritize space and an effortless ownership experience over radical styling or sports-car driving dynamics. That doesn’t leave much room for creativity, but Hyundai has done its best by giving the Ioniq 9 futuristic styling combined with the proven E-GMP dedicated EV platform from its other Ioniq models and the Kia EV9.  The enthusiastic response to the EV9, from Hyundai’s sibling brand, shows why, despite having two gasoline three-row SUVs in its lineup already, Hyundai needed an all-electric one as well.Another daring design from Hyundai Stephen Edelstein/Digital Trends Many automakers create a family look across their lineups, but Hyundai went in a different direction with its Ioniq EVs. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Hyundai Ioniq 6 are polar opposites when it comes to styling, and the Ioniq 9 follows yet another path that helps it stand out from other three-row SUVs. Recommended Videos It’s clear that engineers spent a lot of time in the wind tunnel, but unlike so many other low-drag designs, the Ioniq 9 still has the upright proportions of a true SUV. The result is something that looks like it would be right at home on a school pickup line in the Tron Grid. The tall hood is decidedly SUV-like, but the front end is smoothed as if by erosion. Squared-off fenders add a bit of ruggedness but don’t stick out far enough to impede air flow. And at the back, the body sides taper back, and the roof descends, into a chopped-off tail not unlike what helped make the 2004 Toyota Prius so distinctive and aerodynamically efficient. All of this is topped off with another iteration of the pixel lighting previously seen on the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6. The light bar running across the hood gives the Ioniq 9 a distinctive and futuristic look when viewed through a rearview mirror, while at the back the lights form a hoop around the tailgate. This helps punch up the design a bit, adding visual interest to the otherwise smooth and unadorned surfaces of this electric SUV. Less successful in that regard is the copious black plastic trim, which seems tacked-on. And just as piano-black plastic interior trim is hard to keep clean, the black license-plate surround will likely always be covered in fingerprints. Still a practical three-row SUV Stephen Edelstein/Digital Trends As with so many of its other vehicles, Hyundai made a different styling statement while using the same platform as a dramatically different-looking model from sibling brand Kia. The Ioniq 9 is based on the same plus-sized version of the E-GMP architecture as the Kia EV9 (a Genesis luxury model is also on the way). The EV9 trades the Ioniq 9’s wind-smoothed surfaces for sharp edges, but they look virtually identical to a measuring tape. The Hyundai is 2.0 inches longer, 1.6 inches taller, and just 0.1 inch wider. Headroom and legroom are pretty much identical as well, no matter which seating position you’re talking about. And like most three-row vehicles, Hyundai offers second-row bench seat and captain’s chairs options, making the Ioniq 9 a six- or seven-seater, respectively. The second row can slide forward or back in either case, but even with the seats slid all the way forward, adults won’t find much knee room in the third row. There’s still plenty of space for the kids that will most likely be occupying it, though. Open the Ioniq 9’s standard power tailgate and you get 21.9 cubic feet of cargo space. That expands to 46.7 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 86.9 cubic feet with the second row folded. All three numbers surpass the EV9, and Hyundai claims more cargo space behind the second and third rows than in a Rivian R1S (Rivian doesn’t publish its own comparable figures to verify this). But while the R1S has a spacious frunk, the Ioniq 9 only has a small under-hood compartment just spacious enough for charging cables. Hyundai’s dual-screen setup, with 12.3-inch screens serving as the instrument cluster and touchscreen, remains impressive — especially now that Hyundai is integrating wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with this bigger display. But the Ioniq 9’s Universal Island 2.0 center console really stole the show. Incorporating plenty of storage space front and rear, it’s also accessible from either direction and slides fore and aft. It’s a thoughtful feature for a vehicle where every seat is important.  Quick, but not sporty Stephen Edelstein/Digital Trends Hyundai is offering three powertrain configurations for the 2026 model year, all with a 110.3-kilowatt-hour battery pack. The Ioniq 9 S base model has a single motor sending 215 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels. SE and SEL models have a dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain making 303 hp and 446 lb-ft. Limited, Calligraphy, and Calligraphy Design models have a “performance” dual-motor powertrain rated at 422 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. The rear-wheel drive Ioniq 9’s output is identical to a rear-wheel drive EV9, but the highest-output version of the Hyundai has a bit more horsepower than the Kia (torque is the same), getting it from zero to 60 mph 0.1 second quicker, at 4.9 seconds. The advantage will shift to Kia once a more powerful EV9 GT arrives later this year, though. Quick acceleration is handy for merging onto highways, but it’s not really the point of the Ioniq 9. It doesn’t try to be anything other than a big, comfortable SUV that will whisk kids to extracurricular activities, or serve as an analogue to the big sedans of old for buyers who simply want a spacious vehicle. The suspension absorbed bumps without any waterbed-like jiggling, and like all EVs the Ioniq 9 was impressively quiet (although there was a bit more tire noise than anticipated). It’s nice to drive, just not exciting. Helping to maintain comfort and composure is Hyundai’s i-Pedal brake-control system. This automatically blends regenerative braking and friction braking to slow the vehicle as smoothly and efficiently as possible. It’s a carryover feature from other Ioniq EVs, but the tuning for the Ioniq 9 was particularly good. While it’s still possible to summon a burst of regenerative braking with steering-wheel paddles, it was hard to match i-Pedal’s smoothness. NACS onboard Stephen Edelstein/Digital Trends Hyundai estimates 335 miles of range for the base rear-wheel drive S trim level, 320 miles for dual-motor SE and SEL models, and 311 miles for the high-end Limited, Calligraphy, and Calligraphy Design models, all of which have the more powerful “performance” powertrain tune. That gives the Ioniq 9 a range advantage over its Kia EV9 platform-mate, which only tops 300 miles in rear-wheel drive Light Long Range form, but that advantage is achieved with a larger battery pack. Both Hyundai and Kia are switching to the North American Charging Standard (NACS) charging port for the 2026 model year, giving drivers access to Tesla Supercharger DC fast-charging stations. This provides access to more chargers with a proven reliability record, but in this case it doesn’t necessarily mean faster charging. Hyundai estimates that the Ioniq 9 can complete a 10%-80% charge in 41 minutes at a V3 Supercharger, but that drops to 24 minutes at a 350-kilowatt Combined Charging Standard (CCS) station, using an adapter. When Level 2 AC charging, a full recharge takes nine hours and 40 minutes at 11 kW, according to Hyundai. Like other models based on the E-GMP architecture, the Ioniq 9 is also capable of bidirectional charging for powering devices and appliances. So far, Hyundai hasn’t discussed a full home backup-power system like the one that’s available for the EV9, but its Hyundai Home marketplace provides a ready portal for selling such equipment. A relative value in a high-priced market segment Stephen Edelstein/Digital Trends With a base price of $60,555 with rear-wheel drive, the Ioniq 9 is the most expensive SUV in Hyundai’s lineup. Prices rise significantly from there. The all-wheel drive SE and SEL start at $64,365 and $67,920, respectively. The luxe Limited starts at $72,850, the Calligraphy starts at $76,590, and the Calligraphy Design tops things off at $78,090. Kia hadn’t released pricing for the 2026 EV9 at press time, but for reference the 2025 model started at $56,395 with a smaller battery pack and less range than the base Ioniq 9. Hyundai’s trim walk is also more top heavy with high-end trim levels, but that may also be the case for the EV9 — Kia has already confirmed Nightfall Edition and GT models for 2026 that likely won’t be bargains. All Ioniq 9 models will also be built in Georgia and will qualify for a $7,500 federal EV tax credit, but that’s not guaranteed with the EV9. This pricing structure might help differentiate the two brands, but it doesn’t make much sense for customers, as the EV9 and Ioniq 9 offer similar features, interior space, and the same generous warranty coverage. The Ioniq 9 does at least stay below the Rivian R1S and the handful of luxury-brand three-row electric SUVs currently on the market. It’s a sensible choice, but not an extraordinary value. That’s appropriate for what is an ordinary vehicle, not an extraordinary one — just as the mission brief says.